Former Schnitzelhaus owners cook up dessert business

CARROLLWOOD -
When the popular Schnitzelhaus closed after 16 years, it left many patrons longing for German fare.
Now the owners of the defunct restaurant are back in the kitchen, preparing appropriate finales for any meal – German baked goods.
Last week Mike and Susi Jacobi opened Strudelking, a bakery offering desserts such as those served at their former Waters Avenue restaurant.
The basic menu of Black Forest cake, German ice cream cake, apple strudel and cheese strudel (with berry toppings) might be expanded, however, to include potato pancakes and prepared carryout meals, depending on demand, said Make Jacobi. “The famous salad dressing” served at the Schnitzelhaus also will be sold, he said.

Schnitzelhaus closed May 13, 2012. The plan to sell the family business was doomed by the recession, but Mike Jacobi yearned to start a new career as a motivational speaker.
“The new business is not taking off quite as fast as we want, so we’re out of money,” he said. “So we decided, ‘Well, let’s do a little Strudelking here,’ because I’m pretty good at baking, too.”
The 63-year-old longtime Carrollwood Village resident has no second thoughts about Schnitzelhaus, other than missing talks with loyal customers. “We’re very happy just to have carryout this time. The hours are not so crazy,” said the German native. “We don’t have to be open until 10 at night.”
A menu limited to baked good is easier than cooking full-course German meals, he said. “The workload is considerably less.”
The 750-square-foot bakery is at 4431 Gunn Highway near the intersection with Casey Road.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The telephone is (813) 884-5634.
Jacobi still is focused on a career as a speaker on topics such as customer service, but concedes it is difficult to establish contacts and obtain consulting contracts.
“It’s not as easy as I thought it would be,” he said. “We’ll see how long that takes.”

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